Monarch butterflies flaunt orange, to warn predators of their toxicity. Orange is not just a colour to them – it’s a survival tool.
Orange is the colour that stands out in nature – you can’t ignore it! From autumn leaves to blazing sunsets, orange adds warmth to all palettes. But orange also has deep meaning for being. It combines the heat of red with the cheerful yellow, and can brighten the day from a flower to a leaf to a bird or creature.
Many flowers are orange from marigolds to tulips. Many are toxic to pets.
Not just Buddhist monks – animals are orange. Tigers of course use their stripes to blend into tall grass. Monarch butterflies spread their wings as a sign of beauty and survival. Our close relatives orangutans have orange fur. And in the sea, clownfish use their striking orange-and-white strips to pop against dark coral reefs.
Of course sunsets and autumn blazes of colour from leaves losing their chlorophyll are the best-known oranges in nature. Even deserts bedazzle with their orange sands.
Orange occurs when sunlight interacts with objects, due to certain wavelengths between the colours red and yellow. When anthocyanin pigments mix with carotenoids (in carrots!), this results in orange hues. These don’t just look nice, but help plants with UV protection and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
